


Sacred Heart

by severedfate



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teahouse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 14:40:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9496115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/severedfate/pseuds/severedfate
Summary: I'll wait for you there. Will you come for me? I'll wait for you there, only you.





	

**Author's Note:**

> -title and summary are from Sacred Heart, by The Civil Wars  
> -the gacha that hasn't even begun inspired me. i suppose this is somewhat set in ancient Japan? teahouse au. it works.  
> -thanks to kelly for enabling me  
> -this is my first fic i'm posting and my writing is pretty rusty, so feedback is much appreciated! thank you for reading!

The leaves have started to turn when Hajime sees him again. He’s sitting at his favorite table in the tea house, the same table Hajime has been dreaming about seeing him at again for nearly a year now.

Subaru Akehoshi is a travelling salesman, moving from town to town selling whatever goods catch his eye (it’s mostly shiny things). The teahouse, tucked away in a corner of the town of Yumenosaki, has been his favorite for years, but even more so since a certain blue haired boy began working there. He never misses stopping by now, often having long conversations and wasting away the afternoon with Hajime.

Now he greets Hajime with a tired smile. “Shinonon….I missed you.”

Hajime tucks his bright blue hair behind his ear, resisting the urge to reach for the lavender satchel tucked away in his belt. He’s been dreaming about this moment since the last time he saw Subaru, waving goodbye to him, not knowing when their paths would cross again. 

“Akehoshi-san…welcome back.” It isn’t what Hajime had been preparing to say (I love you, please stay with me, the nights are long without you here) but he isn’t sure he’s ready to admit that yet.

“Join me,” Subaru says, gesturing to the empty spot across from him. His eyes are tired, but he wears the same bright smile he always has. 

Hajime hesitates. “I…shouldn’t. I have work to do…”

“It’s just for a little bit,” Subaru reasons. “Besides, Shinonon is always working so hard. You deserve to take a break!”

Hajime has a hard time saying no when Subaru’s smile is so bright. He sits at the table, drawing the lavender satchel from his belt for comfort (and bravery). His satchel usually brings him a sense of calmness, something he has to rely on often.

“I got you something, Shinonon.” Subaru pulls a small box out of his jacket, laying it down on the table. A bright blue ribbon is tied around it, even if the job is crude at best.

“A-Akehoshi-san!” Hajime gasps. “ I told you that you didn’t have to do that…” 

Subaru hums, pushing the box across the table so that it sits in front of Hajime. “I don’t remember that. Open it! Open it!”

Subaru is nearly bouncing in his seat as he watches Hajime remove the ribbon and opens the box. Inside is an ornate hair ornament, a white flower with gold decoration and a blue tassel. Hajime bites his lip. A piece like this is most likely very expensive, and rare. “Akehoshi-san, this is too much….”

Hajime lays it down on the table, pushing it back towards Subaru. “I-It’s beautiful, but I can’t accept something that nice.”

Subaru takes the ornament out of the box, holding it up against Hajime’s hair. “I saw it and it reminded me of you! It’s so bright and shiny, but it’s elegant, too! Just like Shinonon.” 

Hajime shakes his head. His anxiety is beginning to overwhelm him, and his voice is even softer than normal when he speaks. “I-I’m not any of those things, Akehoshi-san.”

Subaru leans over the table, carefully clipping the ornament in Hajime’s hair. He takes a second after it’s in to admire it, tucking a stray piece of Hajime’s hair behind it. The color is perfect against Hajime’s hair.

“It looks great on you,” Subaru smiles, truly genuine, and Hajime’s heart skips a beat. Emotions well up in his chest: love, anxiety, frustration.

“Akehoshi-san, please listen to me,” Hajime starts, moving to remove the clip from his hair. His voice is shaking, but Subaru continues.

“I put a lot of thought into getting a nice gift for you,” Subaru grabs Hajime’s hands and holds them, interrupting whatever objection he has. “I wanted something that could match Shinonon’s personality, and I finally found something that could even come close.”

“Akehoshi-san, please stop,” Hajime exclaims, pulling his hands away. Tears well up in his eyes. “You have to stop this.”

Subaru’s eyebrows knit in confusion. “Stop what, Shinonon?” Hokuto had told him that a gift was the perfect way to express himself, and he’d spent weeks since then looking for something perfect.

Tears spill out of Hajime’s eyes now, and he brings his arms back to wrap around himself. “S-Stop pretending like you care about me if all you’re going to do is leave me again!” 

Subaru leans back in his chair, the look of shock on his face evident. Hajime has never raised his voice like this before, much less gotten upset at him. Hajime was always shy, soft-spoken, but with the type of intensity that made you want to support him. “Shinonon…”

Hajime wipes away his tears hastily with his sleeve, standing up. “I-I have to get back to to work now. Thank you for stopping by, Akehoshi-san.” It hurts, turning away hurts, but it was like Nazuna had told once—never fall in love with a traveler. They never stay put long enough to love you back.

“Shinonon, wait, please,” Subaru begs, grabbing a hold of Hajime’s sleeve. “Please listen to me now.”

Hajime stops. He’s gripping his satchel so tightly he’s afraid it might burst open. All he wants to do is leave, go back to working hard for himself, for his family, and forget the kind, bright-haired stranger who could always make him laugh. It was easier that way. 

“Look at me, Shinonon.”

Hajime shakes his head, refusing to move from the spot he’s standing in. Subaru lets go of Hajime’s sleeve so that he can hug him from behind, resting his head on Hajime’s shoulder so that he can’t squirm away.

“Shinonon…” Subaru whispers, his arms tightening around Hajime’s waist. “Do you really think I’d spend so much time here if I didn’t care about you? Shinonon is so cute and elegant and beautiful that I’m amazed you would even spend time with someone like me.”

The tears in Hajime’s eyes start to swell again. Subaru is hardly being fair. “It’s because Akehoshi-san is always so kind,” he says, his voice wavering. 

Subaru turns Hajime around to face him, and his face is serious for once. Hajime tries to maintain eye contact, but ends up looking at the ground instead. Please let me go, he thinks. 

Subaru lifts Hajime’s chin up. “Shinonon, I came here today to tell you that I had a plan.”

Hajime swallows, his hands trembling as he tries to maintain eye contact. “Wh-What plan is that?”

“I’m saving money. I’ve been finding a lot of nice things lately, and they’re selling really well! I’m saving the money I’ve been making because I want to stay here, with you.”

Hajime squeezes his eyes shut, shaking his head. “D-Don’t do that, Akehoshi-san! I….I’m hardly worth the trouble…”

Subaru sighs in frustration, placing his hands on both sides of Hajime’s face. How this beautiful boy standing before him couldn’t see his own worth was amazing to Subaru. “You’re always saying that kind of stuff, Shinonon, but it’s not true. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met, and I’ve met a lot of people! You’re worth more than anything I could ever sell.”

Subaru steps closer, using his thumb to wipe away some of Hajime’s tears. “I thought maybe if I saved enough, Shinonon and I could get a house together and you wouldn’t have to work so hard all the time! If we needed more money I could sell small things here and there, and you and your family would be okay.”

Tears stream down Hajime’s face again, and his breath hitches. This is something directly out of Hajime’s wildest dreams, that Subaru would be standing before him and confessing this. “Why would someone like Akehoshi-san want that?”

Subaru frowns. “Because I love you, and I want you to be as happy as you make me.”

Hajime breath stops, and then suddenly he can’t stop the sobs escaping from him. Subaru pulls him close, letting Hajime cry against his chest. “Don’t cry, Shinonon.”

“Hajime-chin, can you—“ Nazuna starts, stepping out into the area they’re in. Hajime pulls away from Subaru quickly, but his eyes are red and watery, and Subaru looks surprised at being caught.

“Hey! Jush what’you think you’re doin?” Nazuna starts, glaring at Subaru. He looks flustered when his words come out slurred. 

Hajime rubs at his eyes, sniffling. “I-It’s okay, Nii-chan. I-I’m fine. I-I’m sorry for taking such a long break.”

Nazuna looks cautiously at the two of them, his hands settling on his hips. He takes a deep breath before speaking again. “It’s okay, Hajime-chin. If he does anything, just yell for me. I can always have Kuro-chin next door kick him out.”

“Th-Thank you, Nii-chan.”

Subaru waits until Nazuna leaves the room before he looks at Hajime again. His expression sombers. “Shinonon, if you don’t feel the same way, I’ll understand.”

Hajime shakes his head again, clutching at his satchel. He summons up every inch of courage in his body, then leans forward and presses his lips against Subaru’s.

The kiss is quick and sweet, and Subaru barely has the time to react before Hajime pulls back, his face scarlet red. He takes a deep breath. “I-I love you too, Akehoshi-san!”

Subaru goes through a range of emotions: shock, disbelief, before he finally settles on happiness. The warmth spreads through his chest, and he smiles brightly at Hajime.

“Shinonon….will you wait for me? I know it’s selfish to ask—“

Hajime shakes his head, pressing a finger against Subaru’s mouth to stop him from talking. “I always wait for you, Akehoshi-san. I…I’ll always wait.”

Subaru smiles, pulling Hajime close again so he can lean down and connect their lips. The kiss lasts longer this time, both of their emotions running high, and Hajime lets his satchel drop from his hands as he grasps at Subaru’s jacket. Subaru’s hand run down Hajime’s back as he deepens the kiss. They’re both struggling for air when they finally pull away. Subaru smiles at Hajime, which turns into a giggle, and before long they’re both laughing at each other.

Subaru sobers up first, and he sighs. “I’m really gonna miss you this time, but I have to leave again. I’m sorry, Shinonon.”

Hajime leans against his chest, sighing. “I-I’ll really miss you this time…but I’ll be here. For you.”

As Hajime watches Subaru leave this time, waving at him until he disappears down the road, it’s with a heavy heart. Nazuna walks up from behind him. “….is he really going to be back, Hajime-chin? I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

Hajime smiles, his fingers coming up to touch the ornament in his hair. “I’ll see him again. He promised.”

**Author's Note:**

> -catch me on twitter @severedfate


End file.
